The Survival of Small Farms Depends on Tourist Attraction
By Julia Goodell
Hammers, ditching spades, and scythes hang above customers’ heads with shocking charm, interweaving colorful string lights and vintage baskets with rusted metal tools of hard work. Underneath, jams and preserves (there’s a difference, farmers say) sit next to local dairy farm cheese, homemade pies, freshly picked apples, and award-winning apple cider donuts. But the main attraction is outside, apple picking, in which after perusing the labeled, well-kept trees, you get to reach a few inches above your head and reap the reward.
There is something soothing about Riverview Orchards, a small family apple orchard in Clifton Park, New York– — that after little effort and roleplaying as a farmer, you get a delicious taste of their crisp apples and sweet treats. The farm originally sold apples wholesale, focusing on merely production and distribution until they shifted towards “agritourism” (AT), or farm recreation, hospitality, and entertainment services. But Isabel Prescott, the 79-year-old owner and operator of Riverview Orchards, who became the second successor of the family business that started in 1944, said it’s the only way the farm can survive these days. “The bottom has fallen right out of the wholesale market for apples and for a lot of other farm products,” Prescott said. “When we finally came to the realization that this just wasn’t going to be able to support us, in about the early 1980s, everything changed.”
Small family farms like Riverview Orchards make up 89 percent of the United States farm count but only generate about 18 percent of the total value of production. Instead, the majority of small family farms benefit from AT: the type of things that give the general consumer a feeling that they are playing farmer, or maybe immersing themselves in the farm life — like walking down scenic aisles of trees, picking fruit, and taking a hayride. AT can serve as a connection between consumers and small businesses, its proponents say, becoming community hubs for local events and recreation, and educating people on farming. Yet 68 percent of AT farms are in the low-income category, raising questions on how to support local farmers and preserve community spaces.
A slow-moving tractor can pull you to any of the four pick-your-own fields of Apple Ridge Orchards– sunflowers, peaches, apples, and pumpkins– as you admire the “rustic” atmosphere, according to the owner Joseph DeGise. Located in Warwick, New York, Apple Ridge Orchards was originally part of the once-abundant collection of wholesale farms in the area, until it shifted to AT. “Most farms in days past were general farms, they may have specialized in apples or something, that grew enough to support a farm market, and it was all wholesale. It probably wasn’t until the ’80s that farmers started allowing people to come onto their property,” explained DeGise, recalling his 30 years of experience in farming.
The majority of Apple Ridge Orchards’ customers are out of towners: New Yorkers traveling Upstate, like affectionately (or not so-affectionately) called leaf-peepers, those seeking the red and orange hues of fall foliage. “I love them,” DeGise proclaimed about his metropolitan frequenters, adding, “Agritourism is hard to do unless you have the population to support the farm.”
Yet Apple Ridge Orchards, being dependent on out-of-community masses, hasn’t been entirely supported by the once farm-dominated town of Warwick. “I would say the landscape of all towns is changing as their boards are made of people that come from non-agricultural, non-farming backgrounds,” DeGise said. “They’re paying top dollar for homes and properties and they may not understand the demands of a working farm in a neighborhood.” Including Apple Ridge Orchards, only six farms remain in Warwick, all of which are AT.
Carolyn Dimitri, an applied economist and professor in New York University’s Graduate Food Program, contends that AT has become integral to many small farm incomes. “I think agritourism provides another income stream, and farmers typically add this to their operations later,” she said. “I suspect that agritourism became more lucrative when non-farming people became interested in food and agriculture.”
A simple solution to supporting small family farms seems to be unknown, claimed Dimitri. “Farming is hard, risky, and remaining operational has been a problem since agricultural markets evolved. This is why we have farm policy and a farm bill every five years,” referring to the United States Farm Bill that aids agricultural and food programs. Meaning, it often takes more than seasonal windows of profit to sustain the meticulous work of farming, extending to governmental assistance.
Other AT small family farms have focused on community and township as an essential aspect of profit. Prescott claims Riverview Orchard’s ongoing success can be largely attributed to her relationship with the community. Year-round, the orchard holds events and fundraisers, supporting local schools, as well as organizations like Girl Scouts and the regional humanitarian institution CAPTAIN. “The more you give away the more you’re gonna get,” Prescott explained. By supporting the community, the community supports her back, maintaining customers from events, and bringing in new people by word of mouth.
Perhaps more importantly, however, Prescott emphasizes her connection with the town of Clifton Park. “I make sure I’m always involved in the town because our town fathers make a lot of decisions. A lot of towns I’ve learned throughout New York State are not friendly to farming. But ours [Clifton Park] is,” she said.
In 2006 Riverview Orchards completed a Purchase of Development Rights with the town of Clifton Park, awarding Prescott the difference between the development value and the agricultural value, or the determined worth of its soil. The paid difference becomes a limitation on the deed, so in theory, it’s perpetuity that Riverview Orchards will stay open as a farm.
Town and regional involvement can prevent nostalgic “rustic” AT farms from being washed away by new development, while continued relationships with customers, even leaf-peepers, can be beneficial to all parties. “Everyone is always welcome, I love seeing all the people,” said Prescott.
